1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a starting device for starting an internal combustion engine, in particular of a motor vehicle, with a starter motor which can be connected via a starter relay with a voltage source and can be engaged with the internal combustion engine for turning the engine over, and an electronic device for triggering the starter relay.
2. Prior Art
It is known that internal combustion engines must be started by means of a starter, since they do not start up by themselves. Starter motors are usually employed for this, which are connected to a voltage source by means of a starter relay embodied as a so-called solenoid switch, and simultaneously a pinion gear of the starter motor is brought into engagement with the internal combustion engine for turning it over. For switching the starter relay on, it is known to trigger it by means of an external switch, for example an ignition switch or starter switch of the motor vehicle or an external relay. The relatively high current which flows when the starter relay is activated can be better controlled by means of this. By means of this current the starter relay generates the required force for shifting the starter and to close a contact bridge for connecting the starter motor with the voltage source. In a known manner the starter relay has a pull-in winding and a holding winding for this. Following the completed start, the starting process is terminated by the driver of the motor vehicle by disconnecting the voltage source from the starter motor.
A control circuit for triggering the starter relay is known from DE-OS 28 36 047, by means of which an erroneous manual operation of the starter relay, for example via an ignition switch, a starter switch or a combined ignition-starter switch, is intended to be prevented. Further than that, electronic installations are known, for example from U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,736, which are used for triggering the starter relay of a starter.